God’s promise of rescue encourages believers to rely on Him, trusting that no matter how dire worldly circumstances become, He remains faithful to save.
Isaiah was a prophet who proclaimed God’s message to the southern kingdom of Judah between approximately 740 and 681 BC. During this era, the people of Judah often faced threats from powerful empires, including Assyria and Babylon. Their hearts were prone to fear and anxiety as hostile armies prowled near their borders, and as they grappled with spiritual unfaithfulness within their own land. Against this backdrop of turmoil, Isaiah spoke words of hope, urging the nation to look to the LORD for deliverance and salvation.
In Isaiah 35:4, the prophet declares, “Say to those with anxious heart, ‘Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.’” (v.4). By telling the anxious to “take courage,” Isaiah reminds them that the same God who holds power over all nations is also the God of comfort and mercy, ready to intervene on their behalf. His “vengeance” and “recompense” signify that He sees injustice and will act to make things right. Such justice flows from God’s righteous character; as Scripture declares elsewhere, the LORD continuously performs righteous deeds on behalf of His people and stands as a just God who always acts in holiness.
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus fulfills this promise of divine rescue. He often repeated the phrase “fear not” to His disciples, reinforcing that God’s presence is the ultimate source of courage (Luke 12:32). While the notion of the LORD coming with vengeance might evoke images of final judgment (Revelation 19:11-16), Isaiah’s emphasis in this verse is on deliverance—“But He will save you.” The prophet’s words, therefore, combine both God’s justice against evil and His protection for the faithful, a dual theme that resonates throughout Scripture and points to a future restoration where suffering will be replaced by joy, and fear will give way to everlasting peace.
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Isaiah 35:4 meaning
Isaiah was a prophet who proclaimed God’s message to the southern kingdom of Judah between approximately 740 and 681 BC. During this era, the people of Judah often faced threats from powerful empires, including Assyria and Babylon. Their hearts were prone to fear and anxiety as hostile armies prowled near their borders, and as they grappled with spiritual unfaithfulness within their own land. Against this backdrop of turmoil, Isaiah spoke words of hope, urging the nation to look to the LORD for deliverance and salvation.
In Isaiah 35:4, the prophet declares, “Say to those with anxious heart, ‘Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.’” (v.4). By telling the anxious to “take courage,” Isaiah reminds them that the same God who holds power over all nations is also the God of comfort and mercy, ready to intervene on their behalf. His “vengeance” and “recompense” signify that He sees injustice and will act to make things right. Such justice flows from God’s righteous character; as Scripture declares elsewhere, the LORD continuously performs righteous deeds on behalf of His people and stands as a just God who always acts in holiness.
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus fulfills this promise of divine rescue. He often repeated the phrase “fear not” to His disciples, reinforcing that God’s presence is the ultimate source of courage (Luke 12:32). While the notion of the LORD coming with vengeance might evoke images of final judgment (Revelation 19:11-16), Isaiah’s emphasis in this verse is on deliverance—“But He will save you.” The prophet’s words, therefore, combine both God’s justice against evil and His protection for the faithful, a dual theme that resonates throughout Scripture and points to a future restoration where suffering will be replaced by joy, and fear will give way to everlasting peace.